The Crucible
by Luthien Luinwe
Summary: When Misa Amane is scorned by her supposed lover, Light, she is quick to think. She starts a rumor that witches are running about Tokyo. Little did she know that the hysteria that would follow would cause many deaths and ruin the reputations of many people. When L is called in, witches begin to appear left and right. The Tokyo Witch Trials soon began.
1. Chapter 1

**This is basically a Death Note twist on _The Crucible_. I hope you enjoy! I own nothing!**

**Intro**

It was a dark night when the event that would start the witch trials occurred. Several young women, among them Misa Amane, Sayu Yagami, and Naomi Misora, had gathered in the woods to secretly meet with a servant that answered to the name Rue Ryuzaki, or as he preferred to be called, Beyond Birthday.

It was rumored that Beyond Birthday had compacted with the devil. Knowing this, Misa Amane asked him to brew a potion in order to have a man fall in love with her. He had agreed, though he was reluctant in it. Light Yagami, the man Misa wanted so desperately, was married to a young woman named Kiyomi, maiden name Takada. Beyond knew that a simple potion would not help Misa's cause. She would have to drink blood, and doing so, risked killing Light's wife.

Beyond sat in the middle of the woods in front of a boiling pot and waited for the girls. He smiled when he saw them approaching. "Come now," he said with a wicked grin. "Now what did you bring me?" Each girl held up a leaf, all from different trees. "Good," he said as he motioned for them to drop their leaves into the pot. "Drop your leaves and whisper the name of the man you want to be yours.

Sayu Yagami was the first to approach the pot. "Matsuda," she whispered as she placed the leaf into the supposed potion.

Naomi Misora was next. "Raye Penber," she said softly, following Sayu's example. Misa stepped up next. She spoke so quietly that it was near impossible to have heard what she had said. "Come on, Misa, who is it?" Misora questioned.

"It's no secret," Sayu said with a laugh. "Everyone knows she's after my brother, Light."

Misa glared at Sayu. "Is that so?" she questioned.

"Obviously," Sayu replied with a roll of her eyes. "You'd have to be some kind of idiot not to see it."

Beyond was quickly becoming impatient with the girls. "Shall we continue?" he asked. The girls nodded wordlessly. "Excellent," he sighed. He handed Misa a cup filled with blood from a chicken. Hesitantly, the blonde drank the contents while the other girls flinched. "Now then, complete the ritual."

Slowly, the girls rose and began to dance, something that was illegal in that area at that time. Much to their surprise, one girl had even removed her clothing.

That was when everything began to go wrong. The sound of a branch snapping could have been heard from miles away. An abrupt silence followed. Standing before them all was a man named Watari, a minister in the town. He had seen everything… well, almost everything.

Chaos ensued. The girls screamed and ran, trying to get back to the town. They knew they were in for a world of trouble. All ran, except for young Sayu, who had fallen. "I can't move!" she shouted frantically. "Help me! I can't move!"

"Child, you have just taken fright…" Watari started, but was cut off by another scream. Having no other choice, the older man carried Sayu back to the town.

The next morning, she had no physical ailment, but would not wake.

…..

Early the next morning, Misa was at Sayu's bedside. She was a servant of the Yagami household (Soichiro Yagami's household, that is), and had been instructed to get her ready. "Sayu, get up," she said as she gently shook the younger girl. Misa frowned when Sayu would not wake. "Sayu?"

Soichiro walked into the room a moment later. "What's taking so long?" he asked.

"First, may I say what happened last night?" Misa asked.

"We will discuss it later," Soichiro said in a cold tone.

"Wake up, Sayu!" Misa shouted. She sighed in frustration. Before long, Sayu's parents were trying to help Misa wake their youngest child. When nothing they tried worked, they called for the doctor. The doctor confirmed what they had already suspected. Physically, the girl was fine. She should have woken. They were able to come to only one conclusion: Witches were running freely about Tokyo.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1**

Throughout the next morning, many gathered in the Yagami household in order to pay their respects to the family regarding their 'bewitched' daughter. Watari was among them. Misa walked up to him and the two stepped away from the others. "Watari-san, the rumor of witchcraft is spreading everywhere," she said in a low tone. She wanted to be sure that they weren't overheard. "I think you should set everything straight… Everyone in town seems to be here," she sighed.

Watari looked angry at Misa. "And what do I tell them?" he demanded. "That I have so little control of this town that several of you and your friends were dancing inappropriately in the forest?"

"I will admit to that," Misa said softly. "But… what they're saying is much more extreme… Sayu isn't being witched!"

"Amane-chan, I cannot go out there and say what I saw happen. Do you know what that would do to my reputation?" Watari questioned. "It would ruin me. Now tell me what you two did."

Misa took a deep breath before looking up at the much older man. "We danced, and that was when you appeared. Sayu got scared and passed out. I swear that's all that happened."

Watari looked skeptical. He knew what he had seen pass in the forest, and he knew that was not all. "Misa," he dropped the honorific that he should've paired with her name. "If you were meeting with spirits, I need to know."

"I promise you that nothing else happened," Misa said quietly.

"Really? Then explain why I saw Ryuzaki-san swinging her arms over a fire! Why was he doing that?"

"He was dancing as well, nothing more."

"And I thought I saw someone naked in the trees…"

"You didn't!" Misa shouted a bit too quickly. "Nothing happened! We didn't do anything but dance!" She noticed the look of distrust on Watari's face. "And I know you're about to ask why Light-kun asked me to leave and work for his father instead. They wanted me to be a slave, and I refused. I promise that's all. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to meet someone." Misa quickly left the room. She ran out of the house and toward the one belonging to Light and Kiyomi. She smiled when she saw Light standing outside, but frowned when she saw that he was yelling at the servant that had replaced her, Naomi Misora.

"Are you stupid, Naomi?!" Light shouted. "I told you not to leave this house! Go inside," he said with a sigh. He watched Naomi walk into the house before looking up. He grinned wickedly when he saw Misa. "I hear my sister flies," he said with a smile. "Is that true?"

Misa laughed nervously. "No, it's not true," she said with a slight smile.

"It's been crazy out here," Light sighed. He'd been watching people passing by all day. He'd heard the rumors as well. "Rumors of witchcraft," he said.

Misa rolled her eyes. "We danced, Watari leaped in on us, Sayu got scared. That's all that happened."

Light raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "Dancing at night?" he asked. "I swear Misa, you'll be arrested before you're twenty." He started to walk away from the blonde, but she blocked his path.

"Tell me something, Light," she said in a low voice.

"Misa, I only wanted to know how my sister was, nothing more," Light said coldly.

"Light, I've waited for you every night," Misa said sadly. The two had been together behind Takada's back, and she had met with Light many nights, at least until he stopped showing up.

"Misa, I won't be meeting with you anymore. You know me better," Light said. After all, he did have a reputation to keep up. He thought she knew that. He honestly thought she knew he wasn't serious about her.

"I know how we were together," Misa said coldly. "I know how you get nervous every time I come near you when you're with your wife. I remember your face when she fired me," she was furious, but still tried to maintain her composure. "You loved me then, and whatever sin it is, you love me now!"

"Misa, you are a child," Light said as he took her hands in his.

Misa glared at him angrily. She slapped his hands away. "How dare you call me a child?!" she demanded.

"We may have been together," Light said in a low voice. He, like she, did not want to be overheard. "But I'd sooner cut off my own hands before coming near you again! "

Misa was quickly switching from anger to bitterness. "Oh, what a _man _you are, Light," she said sarcastically. "Leaving a sick wife at home to meet with me."

Light glared at her. She had crossed a line with that. "You won't say anything about my wife."

"She's lying about me, Light! She's evil, and you don't even care! You love _me_, Light, not her!" Misa shouted as tears stung her eyes. "And you always will." With that, Misa turned and left, silently plotting ways to get Takada out of the picture for good.

…..

While Misa and Light were having their discussion, Watari and a few others were waiting for a man that Watari had called to solve the witch problem. The men standing alongside him were Stephan Gevanni, Halle Lidner, Mail Jeevas, Nate River, and Mihael Keehl.

"So who is this person?" Mihael, or as he preferred to be called, Mello, asked.

"L Lawliet," Watari said. "He is known to be a famous witch hunter. Hopefully he can solve our little problem." As if on cue, a carriage pulled up. A young man stepped out. He was strange to say the least. He walked in a hunched manner. His raven black hair was unkempt to say the least, and he looked as though he had not slept in days. "Ah, L. We've been expecting you."

L acted as though he had not been greeted. He handed his things to Nate River, who was known as Near in the town. "Take these," he said before starting to walk.

Near nearly dropped the books. He hadn't expected them to be so heavy. "They're heavy!" he commented.

"They're weighted with authority," L said as if it should have been obvious. "You must be River."

"Near," Near corrected. "And I am. You've heard of me?"

"I've heard of you. You seem good enough," L shrugged. He seemed quite bored as Watari introduced him to the others. "Now then, let me see the girl."

"Before that, there's something you should know," Watari cut L off. The younger man motioned for him to continue. "Yesterday, I saw several of the girls dancing in the forest."

"You permit this?" L questioned. He was shocked, but tried not to show it.

"Of course not!" Watari exclaimed. He was offended that L would even suggest such a thing. "It was secret."

L nodded thoughtfully before he started to walk again. Mail, who preferred to be called Matt, followed after him. He soon caught up and motioned for L to follow. Soon enough, they had reached the Yagami household.

L carefully examined Sayu. He muttered something in a language that the others did not understand. He frowned when the girl did not move. "It's confirmed, then," he said. "A witch has a hold on this poor child."


End file.
